SE Athletics
For the third time this season, No. 6 Southeastern Oklahoma State and No. 3 East Central battled it out for five sets, and the Tigers would come out on top 3-2. The Savage Storm ended the year 13-16 overall and finished 8-8 in conference play.
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The SE attack had three players record double-digit kills, led by D’Nari Mills with a match-high 24, and she would 21 digs for a double-double. Ruthie Forson registered her tenth triple-double of the season with 12 kills, 44 assists and 12 digs, while Noelia Rocha slammed down ten kills. Michera Moffett led the defensive efforts at the net, recording 6.0 total blocks and adding eight kills to her totals, and Patience Lewis would see a team-high 28 digs.
SET ONE
Southeastern led 10-6 at the first break after three kills by Mills. The Tigers cut the gap to one out of the timeout on a 5-2 run and later tied the set 13-all. Two kills by Mills and an ace from Faith Kruebbe kept the Storm ahead, but East Central kept close, tying the frame three more times and soon took the lead on a 4-1 burst, 23-21. SE brought the set to a deadlock again, 23-all on a 2-0 spurt, but the Tigers replied with two straight kills to secure the first set 25-23.
SET TWO
Five kills from Mills and three blocks by Moffett helped the Storm build a 15-7 lead, forcing the Tigers into two early timeouts. The Storm added to its advantage through a pair of kills by Rocha to stretch the gap to 18-9. Southeastern did not slow down, closing out the frame on a 6-0 run featuring back-to-back aces from Lewis to take the second set 25-12.
SET THREE
Southeastern grabbed the early lead behind an 8-1 stretch that included a pair of kills by Moffett and Mills to give the Strom a 12-6 advantage. The Tigers countered with a 5-1 burst to trim the gap to 13-11. SE picked up the pace again, stretching its lead back to six, 21-14, after two kills by Kruebbe and another ace from Lewis. Southeastern took advantage of three late errors by the Tigers to help set up a 25-18 victory and push the Storm ahead 2-1 in the match.
SET FOUR
The Storm and Tigers traded 4-0 runs, as the blue-and-gold held a 7-5 edge. Southeastern maintained its slim advantage through the next rallies, leading 14-12, but a quick burst of points by the Tigers swapped the lead in favor of ECU 16-14. SE stayed close to the Tigers, tying the set four times, with the two sides later locked at 20-20. East Central broke the tie and never looked back, winning the set 25-22.
SET FIVE
A slow start by the Storm saw East Central jump out to an 8-4 lead at the halfway point. The Tiger’s lead grew to 10-5, but SE began to chip into the ECU advantage with a 3-0 run to cut the gap to two and soon trailed 11-9. However, a 4-0 run from East Central pushed them ahead to a 15-9 win.
Photo by Liz Christian, courtesy GAC Athletics.